New Delhi: A motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar moved in both houses of parliament and signed by 193 MPs was rejected on Monday (April 6) by both Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan.While the notices, moved separately in both Houses, were rejected, no reason was provided.The notice in the Rajya Sabha was signed by 63 MPs and moved on March 12. On the same day, a separate notice signed by 130 MPs was moved in the Lok Sabha.On Monday evening the two Houses released virtually identical bulletins announcing the rejection of the notices.“After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved, the Hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, has refused to admit the said notice of Motion,” said a Rajya Sabha bulletin on Monday evening.An identical bulletin published in the Lok Sabha also said that “after due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved therein, the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, has refused to admit the said notice of Motion”.The CEC, according to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, “shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court”.According to the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, a Supreme Court judge can be removed if an impeachment notice is given in either House of parliament. If the notice is given in the Lok Sabha it needs to be signed by at least 100 members, and if in the Rajya Sabha it needs to be signed by at least 50 MPs. The speaker or chairman can then decide whether to admit the motion or refuse to admit it.Following the rejection of the notices, opposition MPs accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of mocking parliament.Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sagarika Ghose said that a detailed notice had been given, yet no reason was provided for rejecting it.“A detailed notice giving exact rules and factual examples of the CEC’s misconduct was submitted. In response, the impeachment notice has been rejected in a tersely worded reply. No reasons given for the rejection. Why are we not surprised,” she said.“Notice to remove CEC Vanish Kumar by Rajya Sabha MPs rejected. Reason? NO REASON GIVEN. BJP keep mocking our great Parliament. SHAME,” TMC MP Derek O’Brien wrote on X.In a statement, Rajya Sabha Congress MP Jairam Ramesh referred to former chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had in a sudden move resigned from office last year.“We know what happened to the last Chairman of the Rajya Sabha who accepted a petition moved by Opposition MPs,” he said.The Wire had reported last month that the unprecedented move to submit a notice to move an impeachment motion against Kumar was taken following protests against the special intensive revision of the electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission.Last year, opposition parties mulled moving an impeachment motion after Kumar addressed his first press conference in August in which he denied allegations of vote theft, calling them efforts to “mislead the public” and “disrespect the Constitution”.